If you love cocktails, but you don't drink alcohol, put together a fabulous nonalcoholic bar for you and your tea totaling friends.
Here is What you Will Need:
- Water. Stock up on plain and flavored bottled water and seltzer water.
- Cola. Have a variety of colas on regular, diet and caffeine-free colas on hand to please the Coke, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper people who'll be patronizing your bar. Buy the cola close to the day you will use it so it will be as fresh and potent as possible.
- Clear sodas. Keep Sprite, 7-Up, Slice and a variety of ginger ales on hand. Make sure you keep a supply of both regular and diet sodas on hand. Again, you'll want to buy the soda as close to the day of use as possible to avoid serving flat, stale soda.
- Sparkling juices. Buy several bottles of sparkling grape juice, apple cider, pear cider and citrus juices.
- Juices. The must-have juices are orange, grape, apple, pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, lime, cranberry and tomato. I also like to have white cranberry, watermelon and fruit punch handy. Make sure your juices are made from 100% fruit juice.
- Other nonalcoholic beverages. Include any other nonalcoholic beverages you'd like to drink or serve.
- Syrups. Be sure to include your favorite syrups and flavorings.
- Garnishes. You'll need olives, pineapple chunks, maraschino cherries, lemon slices, lime slices and orange slices. You will also want to have coarse salt and sugar to line the rims of glasses.
- Ice. Keep plenty of ice (cubed and crushed) on hand.
- Mixing supplies and extras. Keep plenty of clean glasses, stirrers and shakers handy. You'll also want to have a blender and a ton of toothpicks available.
- Bar snacks. Stock your bar with typical bar finger foods like chicken wings, popcorn, nachos, pretzels and chips.
